13,446 Abibisika (Black Gold) Points

Rank: Unranked Newbie

Daniel K. Abbiw
Department of Botany, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

Abstract

This paper classifies the vegetables used in Ghana into those of national importance and those of local or ethnic importance only and documents which of the vegetables of local importance are marketed.

Vegetables are an important source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for rural dwellers in Ghana. They serve to thicken soups and increase the bulk of stews. Vegetables collected from the wild are an important food source in times of famine. A small number are marketed and thus contribute to household income. Vegetables of national importance are listed in Table 1. However, an estimated 90% of the vegetables used in Ghana are generally restricted to local or ethnic groups. A list of some of these vegetables is found in Table 2. The list represents less than half the vegetables used – either cultivated, tended or collected from the wild. Of the total, only the young leaves of Xanthosoma mafaffa, Crateva adansonii and species of Amaranthus, Corchorus and Sesamum are marketed, representing about 5% of the total. The young leaves of X. mafaffa are the most extensively marketed and consumed vegetable throughout the country (Abbiw 1990).

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